2016 July 21, Thursday

In The Straits Times today.
With several other beauty industry experts, I shared some suggestions on how we can make ourselves feel, look, smell better on a daily basis and also to minimize germs on the place we spend most of our time in. Our beds!

Below is what I had to say. Get your copy of The Straits Times or click here to find out what suggestions the other experts have for you.

2013 February 22, Friday

2013 January 8, Tuesday

Some months back, I received an email from an online beauty portal asking me if I’d like to be a speaker at a Beauty Forum they were having.

The event was to be held on 8th December 2012, lasting for about 4 – 5 hours. But I would be needed for around 1 – 2 hours “at the most”.

So I agreed and told them my fee for doing the presentation which includes a chit chat session with the attendants, a makeup demonstration and be a judge in one of the segments.

I got a reply saying that they’d like to “propose a possible partnership” with myself and my company, Oblique, “in exchange for your support and presence at our event.”

“As a speaker at _______ Beauty Forum, we can also offer you media entitlements and advertising space through our website, email blasts and social media outlets. These can be used to promote any of your events, products or general features.”

I was even given the stats of their portal. 1 million visitors; 150,000 registered members; No.1 Women’s website from 2006 – 2010, etc.

I replied that I don’t do barter trades. So I politely turned down the offer.

After which I was asked if I would “consider a special rate” as it was the first time they were holding the event.

After a few more emails and phone calls, I received an email saying that the event was confirmed and so was my appearance. However, they did not need me to be a judge anymore so I was asked if the rate were any different since the fee I quoted was for around 2 hours of work.

I replied that my fee would remain the same as even though the judging part was out for me, I’d still end up being there for about 2 hours as I’ll need to arrive prior to the event and can’t be arriving right before I’m supposed to go onstage and leave right away after. I mean, I get paid the same amount by several clients doing the same or less work too.

So I was told by the person who’s been contacting me that she would need to speak to her HQ and get back to me again. Which never happened.

Besides this person contacting me, I have been contacted by another person asking me for recommendations of my fave beauty products too. Me being kinda busy and forgetful, I only emailed her my list less like 5-6 days before the event itself. Which i did not get a reply from her too.

So I wondered what happened, and went online to see if i could find out anything.

To my shock, I saw that another makeup artist has been confirmed for the gig and I wasn’t even informed about it. ME ANGRYYY!!!

I saw the makeup artist at an event and found out from him that he was also approached about the same time as me for the event. Those sneaky people at the portal… And to my bigger shock, this makeup artist is doing it for free!!! WTH!!! Come on! As it is, the market is not very strong already. Why would anyone wanna do work for free??? He was telling me he was doing it for a certain cosmetics brand. I didn’t quite get it.

Correct me if I’m wrong. If he had wanted to thank the brand by doing something back for them, then I think it would be more apt to do it directly for the brand and not for an event that was not organised by the brand. ???

People will call it “spoil market”. Agree?

Back to the portal. So I was not happy but it was the festive season and I thought I’d be kind enough not to dampen everyone’s festive mood. So I waited until today to call the person who contacted me and asked her what happened.

She said that she had emailed me telling me about it which I never received. I even asked her to look up her mail box but she couldn’t find the email that she had sent to me at all in her Outbox or Drafts Box or anywhere at all.

Seriously, I’ve never heard of emails going missing. If they were not delivered successfully, we’d receive a mail delivery unsuccessful email.

Also, the other person I emailed to with my list of beauty faves would have found it puzzling why I was still sending her my list when I was no longer involved in the event.

Wouldn’t she have felt it weird and replied me or told her colleagues about it? Is there no communications between them???

Actually, this is not the first time this portal has approached me for a similar kinda gig. They have approached me couple of years back but it didn’t pull through due to the fee as well I guess. Cuz I didn’t get a reply after I quoted my fee.

I just wanna share my displeasure on this incident as I think it is very unpro what has happened.

I have worked with so many cosmetics brands and beauty establishments and we have good relationships after so many years. Even the ones who would tell me they don’t have enough budget for me, but the good relationship remains and till now we still work together happily.

They should have informed me even if they didn’t want to cozy up to me for a better rate. No?

2012 January 7, Saturday

Sex Pistols, the Brit rock group formed in 1975 that started the punk movement in the music industry, has worked with French alternative perfume company, Etat Libre d’Orange, to come up with an Eau de Parfum named after the band.

The first whiff you get will be light kinda citrusy note with a bit of amber and fruity nuances. Heliotrope, Patchouli and Leather notes surface up towards the base notes.

Some of the notes present in it are Citrus, Black Pepper, Amber, Prune Jungle Essence, Electric Aldehydes, Heliotrope, Patchouli and Leather.

2011 June 3, Friday

HIDE & SEEK has begun it’s Great Singapore Sale! Ladies and Men’s fashion of up to 70%. (in fact some are like 80% off) As well as Puma Black Station apparels and shoes. VIP members enjoy an additional 5% on top of discounted price. Every receipt is entitled to a lucky draw entry to win shopping vouchers from Koops and JASON, perfumes from Oblique and coffee table from 3-Quarter Life.

2011 January 26, Wednesday

Chanel launches a new iconic bag, MADEMOISELLE. Created by Karl Lagerfeld with modernity, luxury and practicality in mind.

In five sizes, there’ll be a “Mademoiselle” for all you girls and probably some bolder boys out there. The big ones can be for work and the tiniest one can be used as a clutch for ladies who are not into those bling bling clutches at gala events.

I’ve picked out 4 styles that I kinda like to let you guys have a preview. And yes, it will come in the classic black lambskin quilt that many will adore of course.

Kaiser Karl has picked Gossip Girl star Blake Lively to front the campaign so look out for it!

2010 November 23, Tuesday

Anyone who’s in the know since the late 80s early 90s would know who Nadege de Bospertus is. A former top model of French/Greek decent who was part of the SUPERMODEL phenomenon. Sharing the limelight with all the top girls of that time who only needed to be addressed by their first names.

She has retired for some time and recently appeared again in Dsquared2‘s latest video titled The Gigolo. I must say the video is pretty cheesy but you can just watch it for the fun of it.

It stars the current Brazilian hot boy, Arthur Sales, who I don’t think much of actually. Perhaps he’s the kind who you have to meet to fall in love with?

While there are a number of former top models who have started looking kinda out of shape, Nadege managed to keep her body in top shape!

2010 August 19, Thursday

June this year, I received an email from The Body Shop inviting me to be part of a campaign to help deter what’s known as the world’s third largest criminal industry after illegal drugs and guns. Sex trafficking.

It is something that does not happen only in poor or third world countries but virtually every country in the world. An estimate of 1.2 million people below the age of 18 are not just kidnapped and sold for sexual exploitation and cheap labour but also abused, beaten and raped. And total profits from this inhumane act totals US$27 billion yearly. Can you imagine anyone you know and care about suffering that???

Of course I didn’t need to even think to agree to it. I mean, I know I’m just gonna be a very small part of it all. But hey, unity is strength. No?

So please have a heart and go to this link and sign the petition to help put an end to all these evil deeds!